Handlebar post for bicycles



March 12, 1935. GWCLARK I 1,994,303

HANDLEBAR POST FOR BICYGLES Filed Feb. 27, .1934

INVENTOR GEORGE W. LLARK A TORNEYS Patented Mar. 12, 1935 l "UNITED s TAT-Es or I i v t V HANDLEBhR nrcrcrns I I v j V George W. Clark, Westfield, Mass, asssigliorto V The West fi' e ld Manufacturing Company, Westficld, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts 1 Application February 27, 1934, Serial No. fil h-1 35 a ol im (01'. 208-115) rrns invention relates "to handlebar posts for scale, showing the parts of the post in position brcycles and-has fori'tspri-ncipal' object animfor inserting in the frame;

pr ved means for holding the post in adjusted 3 Referring to the drawing, the post is shown its osition in the tubular steering column of the "comprising upper part 1 and a lower can 5 bicycle; The handlebar posts are usually made 1'1. Botliba'i'r'ts are hollow "and cvyli nd rical- 5 1n the form of a hollow tube and it has' been cross-section and the upper lieirt hr customary in the past to hold the post in the with an inclined-projectingpoi tionf2' terminatframe by splitting the lower portion of the post g in Split ring yp of Clamp in Which the and inserting a generally conical expanding handlebar 13 is secured by clamping screw 14 member in the split end, which member is" in the usual manner. As best shown in Fig. 2, 10 adapted to be drawn upwardly into the post by a the parts 10 and 11 are separated on a plane bolt extending through the tube, and having a s ep y n ed to e axis of the p and When squared or polygonalhead' exposed at the upper e a S 0 t e w parts are aligned, as shown and of t post t which a wrench may be apin Fig. 2, the parts form a true cylinder which 15 plied to rotate the bolt and. draw the conical may he slipp into the pp end 0f the 15 expanding member into the post to spread the e column 1 m n p Of the front fork 16 split end of the post into tight engagement with of the bicyc e, a rotatably mounted in the the walls of the steering column. This manner Ward portion 17 of the bicycle frame 18. The of holding the post in the steering column has frame p t is p v at its pp and 20 certain disadvantages, the principal of which is l wer ends with suitable bearings (not shown in 20 the substantial line contact which the expanded de a l bu i d ca e t 9 a d in Which the end of the post makes with the walls of the steering column turns. The lower end of memhollow column, which renders the clamping acher 11 0f the p t is s d or plu d a st 21 tiOn e ab e Furthermore, the inside diand the closed end is provided with a central ameter of the portion of the column which threadedpe n 22 o m & fi nut 25 receives the post must be sufficiently larger than ceive the threaded end of a bolt 23. The bolt the normal outside diameter of the post to per- 3 extends threugh the p and Passes through mit easy insertion of the post and, as a result, an wa d y fla d p n 24 in the upper the post has a tendency to rot: since the line d of m er 10, rm n t n in a bolt ad 3 contact of the expanded end of the post with the 25 of larger diameter than opening 24. When column is insufficient to sustain the forces aph pa ts have b en ass mbled as sh wn in F plied to the upper end of the post tending to 2, and the post inserted in the steering column tip the post sideways, the post acting as a lever 15 position in the frame portion 17, rotation of to multiply the force applied. When continually bo t 23 to adv n e it into d through the retightened, the split and of the post tends to threaded end 21 of member 11 will draw the 35 bite into the walls of the column and thereafter parts 10 and 11 owa d e other, the inclined the post tends to return to the old groove when plane of separation camming the parts sideways, the attempt is made to clamp it in a; slightly as shown in Fig. 1, into tight contact with the higher position. Great force must be applied to inner surface of the column 15.

40 the bolt of such a holding device to secure any It will be noted that the surfaces in contact 40 substantial degree of security. These disadrare substantial, extending the full length of vantages are to a very large extent overcome member 11 and the full lengt efthe portion of and positive advantages in the wayof greater member 10 within the column. It'will also be rigidity, greater security with less force applied. noted that the diameter of opening 24 is somein the tightening operation, and greater ease what larger than the diametervof the bolt 23, 45 and speed in assembly are secured by the prespermitting the bolt to move sideways with the ent invention. These and further objects and sideways movement of member 11 so that no advantages of the invention will be apparent bending or tilting strain is applied to the bolt.

from the following specification and claims. The long longitudinal contact of the clamping In the accompanying drawing which illussurfaces prevents any tendency of the post to 50 trates the invention in one embodiment rock within the column, does not require exces- Fig. 1 is a side view partly in section showsive tightening of bolt 23, and does not create ing the post in clamped relation with the steerany tendency to deform the inner surface of the ing column and the bicycle frame member; and column. As a result, a more secure and de- Fig. 2 is a side view of the post, on a smaller pendable connection between the post and steer- 55 ing column is obtained, the assembly of the parts is more easily and quickly effected, and subsequent adjustment of the post is not hampered by any tendency of the post to return to its old position.

I claim:+

1. A steering wheel assembly for bicycles which comprises, a hollow steering column rotatably mounted in the bicycle frame, a hollow cylindrical handlebar post, inwardly flanged at its upper end and provided with a fixed nut at its lower end, fitting within the steering column, said post being divided into two parts along a plane steeply inclined to the longitudinal axis of the post, and a headed bolt passing lengthwise through the post with its head en gaging the flange at the upper end of the post and its lower end threaded into the nut, whereby turning of the bolt will draw the two parts of the post toward each other and cause the parts to' move transversely along the inclined plane of separationto force the parts into immovable engagement with the inner wall of the steering column, the diameter of the opening at the upper end of the post being sufficiently larger than the diameter of the bolt to permit the bolt to move freely sideways with the lower part of the post.

2. A steering wheel assembly for bicycles comprising a hollow steering column rotatably mounted in the bicycle frame, a hollow cylindrical handlebar post inwardly flanged at its' upper endland'provided with a fixed nut at its lower end fitting within the steering column, the inwardly flanged part'having an opening therein in alignment with the fixed nut, said post being divided into two parts along a plane steeply in-'- clined to the longitudinal axis of the post, a headed bolt passing longitudinallythrough the post with its head engaging the flange at the upper end of the post, andits lower end threaded into the nut, whereby turning of the bolt will draw the two parts of the post toward each other and cause the parts to move transversely along the inclined plane ofoperation to force the parts in opposite directions into frictional engagement with the inner wall of the steering column, the opening inthe upper end of the post having at'least one width dimension larger than the diameter thelower part of the post,.- ,7 V V l GEORGE-W. CLARK.

I of the bolt, permitting the bolt to move. b0di1y:sideways,,with 5 

